This invention generally relates to improved chilling of food products in preparation for slicing, packaging or further processing. More particularly, the invention is directed to a process for chilling or freezing food products, especially meat products, and to the products produced by subjecting the food products to sequential chilling operations including the use of calcium chloride brine. The food products are chilled more rapidly than previous approaches and without causing off-flavor development which can be experienced by chilling operations incorporating calcium chloride brines.
Various food processes incorporate a procedure for freezing the food in order to achieve a particular objective. As an example, large sausages are often subjected to freezing conditions prior to slicing and packaging the slices. In some circles, it is believed that this chilling or freezing of the meat facilitates slicing, stacking and packaging when such activities are carried out on a large, commercial scale. Other food processing or handling situations which are believed to benefit from a freezing operation include chilling or freezing smaller meat products such as wieners or hot dogs. Even if these smaller food products are not sliced in the food processing plant, chilling or freezing can be beneficial for packaging procedures because enhanced rigidity caused by chilling or freezing can simplify handling such as when the sausages are being inserted into packaging.
Heretofore, it has been known to use a brine component as a freezing medium. Such a freezing medium is applied to the outside surface of the meat product, such as by spraying, dipping in a brine vat, or the like, as a result of which the temperature of the food product is reduced in order to cause chilling or freezing of the food product or of water domains within the product. At times, additional components can be added to a brine composition in order to modify or improve its ability to act as a freezing medium.
It is also generally known that calcium chloride solutions exhibit freezing point depression properties which allow for chilling temperatures that are lower than that permitted by other solutions, such as sodium chloride brine. Examples of prior patents in this regard include Rose U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,343,821 and 4,343,822. One difficulty which has been observed concerning the use of a calcium chloride brine for chilling or freezing meat products is the development of undesirable flavor attributes which can be associated with calcium chloride. Accordingly, calcium chloride brines heretofore have not been favored, especially for meat products.